Baseball Catcher and pitcher from Sussex Corner eligible for three-day draft

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Kevin Barrett
Telegraph-Journal

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When this week's Major League Baseball draft gets underway today, the Johnson family of Sussex Corner will be watching with more than passing interest.

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Illinois Sports Information

Sussex Corner's Aaron Johnson, above in action at the University of Illinois and his brother Jay, who plays at the Prairie Baseball Academy in Lethbridge, could both be selected in this week's Major League Baseball draft, which gets underway tonight at 7 p.m.

Brothers Jay, a hard-throwing left-handed pitcher, and Aaron, a power-hitting catcher, could both be selected in the annual draft that gets underway tonight with three rounds, continuing with 27 more rounds Wednesday and 20 more Thursday.

"I am just sitting back to see what happens," said Jay Johnson, who was 4-2 with the Prairie Baseball Academy with a 2.67 earned run average this year before breaking his wrist earlier this year.

Jay, 19, has been talking with most every major league organization, took a MLB psychological test and is featured in a scouting video on MLB.com, on a night he took a no hitter into the final inning of a league contest.

"I've had a conversation with pretty much every team," he said. "They are interested in what kind of baseball player you are but also what kind of person you are as well."

Jay, a six-foot-one, 200 pound pitcher is rated on www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com as a hard throwing left hander with speeds between 89-91 miles per hour that touches 93 miles per hour. Baseball American rated him as the 16th best Canadian in the draft.

"I am excited about it but it is hard because you don't know where you are going," said jay. "It is a lottery so I will just wait to see what happens."

Aaron, 22, just wrapped up his junior season at the University of Illinois.

He was drafted in the 46th-round of the 2006 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers but did not come to an agreement with the club and thus is eligible once again.

At six feet and 210 pounds, he hit .333 at the University of Illinois this year with 10 homers and 52 runs batted in (.528 slugging percentage).

One highlight of the season was early on as his dramatic homer run in the ninth inning lifted his club past No. 1 Louisiana State University. For that, he was named Big 10 athlete of the week.

The brothers are expected to play this summer for the Rochester Honkers of the Northwoods League, one of the United States top summer collegiate leagues.

Both have collegiate options for next year - Aaron back at the University of Illinois and Jay with the University of Texas Tech.

Aaron Johnson was the ninth New Brunswicker ever selected in the MLB draft.

Rheal Cormier of St. Andre (St. Louis, 1988) and Jason Dickson of Miramichi (California, 1994) were the top N.B. selections, both going in the sixth rounds in their respective draft years.

Other New Brunswick players selected were Jeff Brewer of New Maryland (Mets, 14th rounds, 2002), Mike Keirstead of Musquash (Dodgers, 1999, 28th round), Ryan Harris of Woodstock (Dodgers, 1999, 36th round), Jamie Jenkins of Miramichi (Blue Jays, 34th round, 1997), Jeff Mitchell of Riverview (Expos, 44th round, 19930, and Michael Keenan of Saint John (50th round, Astros, 1991).